No need to overload Arlington with more interstate lanes

As a child of Holocaust refugees, I wasn’t thrilled to be called a “nazi” by Steven Pearlstein [“And now, in local news . . . ,” Business, Aug. 12] for trying to keep Interstate 66 at its long-promised four lanes and to return it to its also-promised rush-hour carpools of three persons per car.

However, I will chalk up Mr. Pearlstein’s attack to road rage. I know how he feels — there are times at bus stops and on Metro that I also feel like screaming at someone.

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Mr. Pearlstein might be surprised to learn that, far from being a Gestapo jurisdiction, Arlington already bears more than its fair share of highway lane miles. Based on its size (25.9 square miles) and its interstate lane mileage (60.5), Arlington has 2.34 lane-miles per square mile. Comparable figures are 1.77 for the District, 0.82 for Prince George’s County, 0.77 for Fairfax County, 0.76 for Montgomery County and 0.39 for Prince William County. The only jurisdiction more dominated by interstates is Alexandria, with 2.90 lane-miles per square mile.

Is Mr. Pearlstein’s reverse commute related to his faculty position at George Mason University — a major cause of unnecessary driving and traffic? Had Arlington’s “nazi” planners had a say, the school would be right on a Metro stop.

If Arlingtonians — and everyone else — don’t say no to endless road widening, the region will make development mistakes forever, ensuring ever more traffic and road rage.

Peter Harnik, Arlington

The writer is a member of the Arlington Coalition for Sensible Transportation.